The Rocky Horror Show is a cult classic that’s been drawing in fans for decades with its outrageous style, catchy rock soundtrack, and unapologetically campy energy. It’s a wild mix of sci-fi spoof, musical theatre, rude comedy, and chaos. Audience participation is a huge part of the experience, with fans encouraged to dress up, shout responses, and fully immerse themselves in the madness.
I’ve now seen The Rocky Horror Show, and while I wouldn’t rush to see it again, I genuinely enjoyed it. It’s loud, bold, bizarre, and undeniably funny. The performances were strong, the music was infectious, and the show’s silliness is all part of the fun.
One of the highlights for me was seeing Jackie Clune as the Narrator. I loved her in Motherland as the school receptionist, so it was a treat to see her on stage. She brought great energy to the role and handled the audience interaction with real wit, it felt more like classic pantomime in those moments, and I found that part particularly funny.
That said, I wasn’t fully sold on all the audience interaction. The shouting and call-backs which is a staple of Rocky Horror initially pulled me out of the experience. I can totally understand why fans love that side of it, but for me, it was a bit much at times. I did get used to it as the show went on and could appreciate the humour behind it, but some of the crowd behaviour felt more wild than fun , even bordering on rude and distracting for other audience members.
The costumes and dress-up element were brilliant, though, it was fun to see people really go for it and embrace the spirit of the show. It definitely added to the atmosphere, even if the overall energy tipped a little too far for my taste.
Adam Strong as Frank N Furter was hilarious, outrageous outfits, extremely rude comedy, and he absolutely owned it. He brought a bold, commanding presence to the role and really leaned into the madness, which made him great fun to watch. One of my favourites was Job Greuter as Riff Raff. His physicality, that limp, and his general stage presence had me laughing every time he appeared. He didn’t even need to say anything — just being on stage was funny in itself.
Connor Carson and Lauren Chia were a great duo as Brad and Janet. Watching them go from innocent teens with a broken-down car to being just as wild as Frank and his houseguests was really entertaining. Morgan Jackson, who I’d previously seen in Heathers, played Rocky. He brought a great energy to the role, physical, playful, and totally in line with the chaotic spirit of the show.
The Rocky Horror Show is a true Marmite experience: you’re either all in on the chaos, or you’re not. I found myself somewhere in the middle. I’m glad I saw it, I laughed, I enjoyed it, and it’s definitely a show that leaves an impression. Once was enough for me, but it’s an experience I won’t forget anytime soon. The Rocky Horror Show runs at the Theatre Royal Brighton until Saturday, 19th April 2025, with performances at 8:00pm on Tuesday and Wednesday; 5:30pm and 8:30pm on Thursday and Friday; and 5:00pm and 8:30pm on Saturday. Click HERE to book.
